Chute support for concrete mixers



6 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1946 ZNVENTOR. .Zauzs 6 fiI/kemezbr %M 4 faraway 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30. 1946 lfvVENTOR. laws 6. fil'em'ezer i/{armey Nov. 15, 1949 L. 5. HILKEMEIER 2,438,2g2

CHUTE SUPPOR'] FOR CONCRETE MIXERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 30, 1946 NOV. 15, 1949 1.. G. HILKEMEIER 2,488,292

CHUTE SUPPORT FOR CONCRETE MIXERS zf/L arney Nov. 15, 1949 1.. e. HILKEMEIER CHUTE SUPPORT FOR CONCRETE MIXERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 30, 1946 Affarwy L. s. HILKEMEIER 2,488,292

CHUTE SUPPORT FOR CONCRETE MIXERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 15, 1949 Filed Jan. 30, 1946 0 II' 52 f a "Ill/ll, I 3

INVENTQR. Aemezez" Patented Nov. 15, 1949 GHUTE SUPPORT FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Louis G. Hilkemeier, West Allis, Wis, ,assignor to Chain l p ny, M a kee, W s" a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 30, 1946, Serial No. 644,309

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to supporting mechanism for distributing chutes such as are used to distribute concrete transported by truckmixers and the like. A distributing chute is usually permanentlymounted on the truck in some convenient location near the discharge end of the mixer drum and when moved into operating position chutes the material from the mixer to the de.- sired location such as the forms in which the concrete is being placed. it is desirable that the chute should be .capable of easy manipulation, that it should be supported in'a non-opera.- tive position such that it will not unduly increase the dimensions of the truck, that it should be firmly supported especially when in operative p sition and that it have a good angle of inclination even when being u ed over a wide spoutin range.

It is n obj t of the present inven ion o p ovide a chute support which will answer the foregoing requirements and which will constitute an improvement over supports heretofore em,- ployed.

In the distribution of ready-mixed concrete there are many instances in which it :is desirab e to discharge the concrete directly, and without the u of a h into hi h iorms or into bu kets and high hoppers, and while the chute should be carried as a standard piece of equipment on the machine because of the many jobs where it will be used, it should be maneuverable to a non-operating position Where it will not inter fere with a direct pour.

When the chute is in use, it should be capable of manipulation so as to swing it in an arc and to raise or lower its discharge end, and it is highly desirable that in doing so the receiving end should not chan e i position irom that which is most advantageous to receive'the concrete from the drum.

Accordingly it is an object of the present in.- vention to provide distributing mechanism in?- cluding a chute which may be moved to a nonoperating or transporting position, so as to em able direct pours, and which when in operating position, may have its discharge end raised or lowered without affecting the position of the re.- ceiving end of the chute.

One embodiment of .the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the rear of a transit concrete mixer showing the distributing chute in the position :it may occupy during travel of the vehicle to and from the point of use;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the machine shown 5c 2 Fig. 1 with the distributing mechanism in posie tion to discharge concrete from the mixing drum;

Fig. 3 is enlarged detail view partly in section of the supporting swivel showing the extension arm locked integrally therewith;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view, partly in section of the mechanism which directly supports the chute;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5.-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line li6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. -'I is an enlarged detail plan view of the locking bar when it is in position to lock the swivel arm of the chute support;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. ,9 is a rear view, similar to Fig. 2, but with chute extension attached to the chute, and the chute with its extension carried crosswise of the drum at the rear of the truckmixer.

In the drawings, the numeral H designates the rear uprights of the frame of a concrete mixer preferably of the high discharge truckmixer type which is mounted .on a truck for transporting and/or mixing concrete in transit. Rear uprights H are spaced apart suificiently that the rear portion of the incl-inedeaxis rotating mixing drum l2 may extend between them and overhang the frame as illustrated in the drawings. Beneath the drum'and connecting the uprights II is a cross member l3 on which is mounted on the rearward side a bracket l4 carrying a looking bar 15 having a hook portion [6 at its outer extremity. The bar [5 is pivoted about a horizontal axis on the'bracketl4 and in its operative position is substantially horizontal as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The rotatable drum l2 has an opening at its rear end through which its contents are discharged, said opening being normally closed by a charging hopper H having a port confining the opening. The hopper is retractable, however, to perm-it concrete to be expelled from the drum, the material being directed therefrom by a sta-, tionary receiving hopper I8 having its lower end open and in registry with the receiving end of the distributing chute when the latter is in distributing position. The receiving hopper [.8 may be provided with a hinged sub-chute H which may be doubled back on the receiving hopper 18 into a non-operative position when the main chute is being used, or when the main chute ccu es its inopera ive pos tion, t e -c ute may be employed to provide a short pour.

he-main d stributing chu e -0, is .o u ant a length with its si es which defi e a t g higher adjacent the receiving end to prevent spillage of concrete falling from the receiving hopper. Adjacent the discharge end of the chute 20, there is a pivoted bail 2| to which the chain supporting means are attached, the details of which will be hereinafter described. An extension spout 22, shown hanging from the side of the mixer in Fig. 1 may be quickly attached to the discharge end of the main chute to extend the length thereof. To accomplish this, a pin 23 extends upwardly from each side of the main chute near the discharge end, and correspondingly positioned apertures in the extension chute may be brought to register with the pins and the extension chute pivoted back until its receiving end is brought into abutment with a flange 24 surrounding the discharge end of the main chute 20. Alternately the extension chute may be attached directly to the sub-chute I9 which has similar pins 25 for this purpose. In

the latter instance the main chute 20 must be.

removed so as not to interfere with the subchute I9 and extension chute 22.

During transportation of the concrete and also during employment of the sub-chute I9, the main chute 20 is disposed alongside the drum as shown in Fig. 1. In some respects this method of mounting follows the teachings of U. S. Patent No. 1,890,982 to Foster and Ball, but in other respects it is considerably different, as will be hereinafter pointed out. When non-operating, the outer end of the chute rests in a cradle 26 mounted on one of the side running boards disposed parallel to the axis of the mixer drum, and the inner end is supported by a swinging bracket or arm 21 pivotally mounted on one of the rear uprights I I. To bring the chute into distributing position, the arm 21 is swung through an arc of about 180 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the inner end of the chute may be brought into position to receive concrete discharged through the receiving hopper I8 from the drum. The main chute in turn may be swung in an are about the outer end of arm 21 due to the swivel connection and the mounting hereinafter described.

On the under side of the main chute and closely adjacent its receiving end is a stiffening plate 28 which is secured by rivets or otherwise to a mating plate 29 having ear portions at one side which serve as one part of a hinge joint 30 permitting pivoting of the chute away from its support about an axis parallel to its length but slightly offset with respect thereto. This arrangement permits the chute to be pivoted into a position with its open side facing the guard 3| on one side of the drum, and thereby the chute occupies less space during transportation trips because the sides of the chutedo not extend over the running board on which it rests. When the chute is in use this pivot is inoperative, for the weight ofthe concrete maintains the chute on.

a 32 during the hinging motion.

The inner side of the channel member 34 forms a groove for a sliding latch 35 which engages a hook 36 on the swivel member 31, and said latch normally maintains the channel rigid with respect to the swivel. When so maintained,

the end of the chute may be raised or lowered and the chute will pivot about the pin 33. When, however, the chute is to be laid alongside of the drum it should be pivoted nearer to the swivel connection 31 rather than at the extremity of the extension arm formed by the channel 34, and hence the channel is not rigidly connected to the swivel but the latch 35 is pinned to the ears extending from the swivel 31, and the pin 38 which extends through apertures in the channel 34 and operates in an oblong slot in the latch 35 is rendered operable by disengaging the latch from the swivel. The latter, 1. e., movement of the latch, is accomplished by a lever arm 39 pinned to the channel 34, said arm having an actuating dog 40 engaging a notch 4| in the latch 35 whereby the latch may be retracted from the hook on the swivel and the pivot 38 employed. As a result, the chute may maintain a horizontal position When being transported alongside the drum and the inner end of the chute will be only slightly higher than the swivel. This enables the chute to occupy a position below the most extended portion of the guard 3| previously referred to.

end of the locking bar is disposed to engage a hook 43 extending from the end of the bracket 21, thereby fixing the swivel member 31 in definite operative'position relative to the end of the drum.

The locking bar I5 may be carried in a vertical non-operating position, thereby reducing the possibility of its being damaged by unintended collision with other objects. In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown in detail the mechanism for latch ing the locking bar in two positions, the dotted line position of parts shown in Fig. 8 illustrating its non-operating position. V As illustrated in these figures, the inner end of the bar I5 is bifurcated with the leg portions;

journalled on a rod 44 secured in the bracket I4. Also journalled on rod 44 and extending between the bifurcated legs of the bar I5 is a supporting member 45, one end of which yieldably supports the bar I5 through the medium of compression spring 46 and bolt 41. The opposite, or inner end of member is free to pivot within the bracket I4, but its position within the bracket is controlled by a latch 48 secured by a set screw 49 to an L-shaped hand lever 50 journalled on the bracket I4. By swinging the lever 5!! counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 8, the supporting member 45 is permitted to swing to a vertical position, after which the latch 48 will drop to lock bar I5 in vertical or non-operating position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. To move the bar to horizontal position, the hand lever is again raised, freeing the end of member 45 and permitting the bar I5 to be lifted to horizontal position. The hand lever is then dropped locking the bar in the full line position shown. v A torsion spring 5| surrounding the horizontal portion of lever 50 constantly urges the latch 48 in both of its locking positions. The spring 46 constantly urges the hook I6 upward when it is in a raised position and maintains the locking engagement of hooks I6 and 43 when such an engagement is brought about by swinging the arm 21 into con-: tact with the bar I5 when the latter is in horizontal position.

' -"mheouter endg ofthe chutecis supportedby a chain 52. which is threaded through .an: opening inaa' bracket onlthei bail .2 l and the hook on' the end. of the chain is.-connected. at an intermediate point thereby enablingithe chainrtorbe locked in difierent positionsiof various chute elevations. Theupper endof the-chainis supported by .a substantially.semi-circular tubular member 53 thezcenter of which is substantially .in vertical alignmentwith-the axis oftheswivel member 3'! when :the latteriisiinilocked position bybar l5, and with this arrangement,.the chute. may be swungon the-swivel member 31 and the chain slid on the tube 53 to support the end of the chute at the same elevationin various positions.

Assuming ,the. chuteisresting. on the cradle 26 alongside the drum I2, the .operatorlifts, the outer end of the chute off from the cradle and then causes the -arm"2l'--to swing into position where-it-may be locked with the bar [5, they latter being locked in horizontalposition as previously described. Next the outer end of the chute is:depressed causing the chute to pivot-aboutthepin 38.:and the latch 35 to slideback as it ridesiover the curved upper surface of the hook 35. The spring 42 snaps the latch into locking position and renders the pivot 38 inoperative. Should it now be desired to raise the end of the chute this is done by taking up the chain 52 which supports the outer end of the chute and during such movement pivoting occurs about the pin 33. Since the latter hinge is closer to the receiving or higher end of the chute, the outer end of the chute may be raised without sacrificing as much height as would occur if the pivot point were more intermediate the ends of the chute.

To return the chute to its original position alongside the drum, lever arm 39 is pressed toward the latch causing the latter to be retracted from the swivel hook and permitting the channel and the latch to pivot about the pin 38. The weight of the channel and its associated members along with the disposition of the weight of the chute when empty make it unnecessary for the operator to do more than retract the latch, to cause it to disengage the hook 36. Once the hook is disengaged, the chute rests on the channel, a stop 54 being conveniently located on the upper side of the channel near the swivel 31 for this purpose.

The chute may now be swung while in a substantially horizontal position, and after disengagement of the hook I6, by raising the hand lever 59, the arm 21 may be swung until it extends off to the side of the upright frame member supporting it. The chute is next pivoted about the hinge 30 and is laid alongside the drum and within the cradle 26.

, The construction also enables the main chute to be carried behind the drum and transversely thereof, while the arm 21 and bar I5 are locked. In one instance the pivot 38 is maintained inoperative and the chute is pivoted about the swivel 37 until it is at right angle-s to the drum. It may be held in this position by a chain 55 secured to the running board carrying the cradle 26, the free end of the chain being inserted through a keyhole slot in a bracket 56 extending from one side of the chute, and when a chain link enters the neck of the slot, the adjacent coil link effectively engages the slot and supports the chute. When the concrete is distributed by the subchute 19 either alone or with the extension chute 22, the main chute 20 cannot be disposed in this mannenand. isimovedtothe-side oithe drum ias previously-pointed out.

ffllherchuteismay.;also' be. carried 'in backvof :the drum with the extension. 122 attached .to: the chutepas shown in Fig. .9. .In,.this instance, the bar;tiisdisconnected from. the arm 21, and the arm22 Lxis pivoted to .the position. itvwouldoccupy if .the chute .-.were:to be laid alongside the: drum on..the running boa-rd. Insteadof. disposing-the chute .parallel .to the .axis .ofuthe. drum, .it may be .arranged transversely -thereof and since the receivingendof the chute ismoved totheextreme right side of the truck when viewedfrom the rearpbecause'ofi the movement. of the arm. 21, the-extension 22 maybe attached to the end (of thechute. and-the extension will not'protrude beyond theJ-left side of the rear of the truck. Tohold-the chutein this position, a hook-shaped bracket: 5'! mounted on one i of the rear uprights is employed and annear 58 extending from the side of. :the extension 22' is hooked on this bracket. Thus the chute may be carriedlwith the extension in position for immediate use-which is a considerable advantage in those cases where in successive trips the extension :is to be :employed.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In a transit concrete mixer having an enddischarge mixing receptacle and a frame, a bracket pivotally secured to said frame having a swivel bearing at its outer extremity, said bracket being pivotal from an operating position in which said bearing is disposed in line with material discharged from the mixer to a non-operating, transporting position approximately therefrom, a swivel member pivotal about said bearing having a portion extending upwardly at an angle to the axis of rotation of said swivel member, a distributing chute, a support for the outer end thereof, and means supporting the inner end of said chute by said swivel member comprising a hinge about which said chute may pivot with the axis of the chute constantly intersecting the axis of said swivel, and a second hinge arranged parallel to the axis of the chutepermitting the chute to turn on its side when in non-operating position.

2. Chute supporting mechanism for concrete mixers and the like comprising a swivel pivotal about a substantially vertical axis, an arm hingedly connected about a horizontal axis to the concrete receiving end of the chute and means for rendering the arm rigid with respect to the swivel when concrete is contained by said chute or pivotal with respect thereto about an axis parallel to said second mentioned axis but at a point removed from the receiving end of said chute more nearly adjacent said swivel.

3. Instrumentalities for supporting the inner end of a distributing chute on a body having a holding receptacle comprising a bracket pivotally mounted on the body with a swivel bearing adjacent its outer end, a swivel member journalled in said bearing having an arm extending from said bearing, an extension member pivotally secured to said arm, means rendering said extension member pivotable or rigid with respect to said arm, a supporting element pivotally connected to the extension member near the extremity of the latter and means connecting the inner end of the chute and the supporting member.

4. Instrumentalities for supporting the inner end of a distributingchute on a body having a holding receptacle comprising a bracket pivotally mounted onthe body with a swivel bearing adjacent its outer end, a swivel memberjournalled in said bearing having an arm extending at an angle to said bearing, an extension member pivotally secured to said arm, means rendering said extension member pivotable or rigid with respect to said arm, a supporting element pivotally connected to the extension member near the ex tremity of the latter, a bracket secured to the inner end of the chute and means pivotally connecting the bracket to the supporting member about an axis parallel to the chute but offset with respect thereto.

5. Apparatus for connecting a distributing chute to its supporting member comprising a bracket secured by a pivot to said chute, adjacent one end thereof, said pivot having an axis parallel to the axis of said chute but offset with respect thereto such that the weight of the chute renders the pivot inoperative when the chute contacts the bracket, and said bracket being secured by a second pivot to said supporting member, said second pivot having an axis perpendicular to the axis of said chute whereby the elevation of the other end of the chute may be 25 varied.

6. Apparatus for supporting a distributing chute comprising a supporting member having a swivel bearing, a swivel member pivotal about said bearing and an extension member secured by a pivot to said swivel member, means for rendering operative or inoperative said pivot with respect to said swivel, a distributing chute connected near one of its ends to said extension member, said connection arranged to enable said chute to pivot about its connected end in planes parallel with and perpendicular to the axis of said chute. I

LOUIS G. HILKEMEIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

